Our golden anniversary invites us to reflect on where we’ve been and envision where we’re headed in the next fifty years. As we ponder “The Art of Making Art” this summer, we must also consider the question of WHY we create art in the first place.

Reflecting on Our shared history

The magic of art is that it acts as a mirror for society. No matter what we make or how innocuous and everyday it may seem, as soon as other people gather to experience it, we have made an artistic statement — a statement about ourselves and our world that is open to the interpretation of others. When artists actively strive to express their feelings about the world around them, the results can become an indelible record and reminder of our shared history. Consider these examples:

Bernstein conducts Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, a universal message of freedom and brotherhood on the occasion of the Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

Billie Holiday – “Strange Fruit”

In each of these cases, we have a clear sense of how the artists involved felt about the events they were depicting, imagining, or commemorating. But the magic of art is that we are forced to continually reinterpret these historical snapshots through today’s lens. Below is a painting by Jean-Louis David, now synonymous with the revolutionary spirit that was about to reach a breaking point in France just after this masterpiece was painted in 1784.

I’ll bet you find it impossible to view this painting today without it evoking a visceral response — a response that has probably been shaped by events over the past few weeks, and which will differ widely depending on who you are. The more you learn about this painting and what it represents, the more layers it will reveal. This work of great art still speaks to us today with very real power and relevance — because it asks great questions.

That will surely be the case with the productions we will present this summer. These great works, and the way we realize them, will ask you to think critically about the world around you. There are no right answers, and every response is valid. Tosca is a historical melodrama set in Rome around the Battle of Marengo and the Napoleonic invasion, yet any production we mount will resonate with renewed vigor today; thankfully, we have the brilliant mind of Louisa Proske (director of Glimmerglass’s Rinaldo) at its helm. In interesting times, the magical mirror of art becomes clearer, brighter, and sharper. Our theaters are one of the few remaining forums where we can come together to discuss the issues of the day with civility and decorum — and this summer will be no exception.

A different perspective

Art is also a garden of empathy. It allows us to experience the world from someone else’s point of view — from a perspective that we may not otherwise be able to experience. Sometimes, the empathy and human understanding great works create can be agents of positive change and progress — think of the novels Uncle Tom’s Cabin and To Kill a Mockingbird, which helped alter America’s stance on slavery and civil rights. 

There are elements of the suburban Chicago neighborhood we will meet in The House on Mango Street that I immediately relate to from my childhood and others that fall entirely outside my lived experience. This beloved story has become the much-studied classic it is today partly because it presents a brilliantly clear window into the lives of a bustling cast of colorful characters who simply leap off the page. It is impossible not to share in their hopes, fears, and dreams as this story unfolds, even when their lives are worlds removed from your own sphere of existence. The themes this world premiere touches on have been important since the book was written but are particularly, even astonishingly, timely right now.

Having something to say

The arts are also a haven for self-expression. Successful artists frequently see the world in unique or unusual ways — we often talk about ‘having something to say’ as a prerequisite for an artistic career. Because of this need for an individual perspective on the world, a desire to communicate beyond the usual outlets provided by society, and our natural yearning to seek community, the collaborative arts have always been a home for the eccentric, the quirky, the different, the outsider, the fabulous, the non-conformist, the experimental, the sensitive, the weird, the single-minded, the temperamental, the unusual — the arts are a place where these qualities are highly prized and desirable when society itself might sometimes be less accepting or accommodating.

The Rake’s Progress is one of opera’s most unique creations — everything about it is individual, quirky, weird, and wonderful. Stravinsky was the quintessential iconoclast, almost entirely reinventing music at least three times. William Hogarth, on whose series of paintings The Rake’s Progress (as well as Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon) is based, is one of Britain’s most influential artists and perhaps the original inventor of the ‘storyboard’ or ‘comic strip.’ W.H. Auden and his sometime partner (in love as well as art) Chester Kallman created a modern morality tale and poetic libretto all its own.

Sunday in the Park with George broke the mold of what was possible in musical theater. Sondheim and Lapine, inspired by a painting by the artist Georges Seurat — a complex, contradictory personality greatly unappreciated during his short lifetime — created the piece around which our season’s theme is centered. Sunday is as unique as its creators and inspiration — there is nothing really like it in the literature. Oddballs, all of them — but such magnificent ones!

The arts have always served as a sanctuary for individuality and self-expression, celebrating difference and diversity, fostering community, and promoting inclusion. Glimmerglass stands firmly on this principle. In this space, everyone is safe and welcome, provided we also respect each other’s individuality. I take great pride in what Glimmerglass embodies: a haven for free expression, a center for meaningful discussions, and a place where everyone can recognize themselves on stage.

Out of the present moment

And, of course, art is also a profound source of escape, joy, and entertainment. It can transport us beyond the confines of our daily lives, allowing us to step into new worlds — whether real or imagined. A great painting, a sweeping symphony, or an unforgettable piece of theater can lift us out of the present moment, offering respite from life’s difficulties and a chance to revel in beauty, humor, and wonder. The act of creation itself can be a refuge, a way for artists to lose themselves in their craft and for audiences to momentarily set aside their worries. Whether through the dazzling spectacle of a grand production, the intimacy of a quiet moment on stage, or the sheer delight of a perfectly executed musical phrase, art grants us permission to dream, to feel deeply, and to experience unfiltered joy. It reminds us — even in the most challenging times — of the power of imagination and the necessity of pleasure.

I could not be more excited for the season ahead, or to hear the very differing interpretations you will surely find in our work. I have great hope and faith in this place, and in all of us, and I cannot wait to see you all this summer.